Flat shield-shaped hedgehog
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Flat shield-shaped urchin (Echinarachnius parma) - the largest of flat sea urchins. The diameter of the shell reaches 8 - 10 see Echinarachnius parma is widely distributed in the waters of the Northern hemisphere. In the Pacific it is found from the Bering sea to Japan and from Alaska to British Columbia, in the Atlantic regular along the East coast of North America to new Jersey.
Throughout lives from the coastal area to a depth of 150 m, although is most common at a depth of 6 - 12 m. it Prefers sandy soils, in which by means of needle completely buried in about 10 minutes. In places of cohabitation with other flat urchins Echinarachnius parma digs most deeply to 150 mm. the Number of flat sea urchins in the coastal waters of the far Eastern seas so big that in some areas they literally carpet the sandy bottom continuous “pavement”.
Feeds on detritus contained in the bottom layers of water. Deposited on the surface of the urchin detritus using currents created by cilia on the needles is transmitted from the dorsal side to the ventral and then in the grooves - to the mouth hole. Also can be used in food unicellular algae, small copepods and corneous.
